Brokerage Beat: Real, Windermere, Sotheby's add SoCal strength 

Editor's note: The brokerage business is a busy one, with frequent moves, mergers and milestones. Here we highlight some of the latest activity among brokerages across the U.S.

Two Southern California teams join The Real Brokerage

The Real brokerage has announced that Active Realty and Power Real Estate Group, two prominent teams in the Southern California market, have joined its ranks. Combined, the two new teams bring 130 agents to Real, boosting its presence in the SoCal region.

Active Realty, which was founded in 2014, is helmed by Justin Tye, while Power Real Estate, launched in 2021, is led by Jose Samano and Jeff Mcgonigle. Their teams cover a wide turf across Southern California, ranging from Los Angeles to San Diego, the Real brokerage said. 

"Justin, Jose and Jeff are some of the most hard-working people in the residential real estate industry. They have built great teams founded on collaboration and putting the needs of their agents and clients first, and will significantly enhance the Real brand throughout Southern California," Real President Sharran Srivatsaa said in the announcement.

In 2022, the 30-agent Active Realty team completed 1,000 transactions with a volume of $1 billion, while Power Real Estate closed 675 transactions valued at more than $500 million.

Windermere acquires HK Lane in Coachella Valley, regains agents in San Diego

Windermere Real Estate has acquired Coachella Valley's HK Lane and its team of 75 agents, the company announced.

"Windermere has operated in the Coachella Valley for over 20 years, and during that time we've experienced both remarkable growth and challenging setbacks," said CEO Geoff Wood. "What's different now about our desert operations is that we have a team in place who not only understand the unique needs and conditions of the Coachella Valley, but they have also embraced Windermere's culture of connection, collaboration, and community."

Kevin Rochlitz and Selina Ochoa will head the operations in Coachella Valley, which includes 90 agents who were already working with Windermere prior to the recent acquisition of HK Lane. In total, the company says that it will have 165 Windermere agents operating from five locations throughout the Coachella Valley, including offices in La Quinta, Lake Arrowhead, and El Paseo/Palm Desert.

Additionally, roughly 50 agents who left Windermere after the company's San Diego franchisee split with the brand earlier this year have returned to the firm. Windermere is working to open a new San Diego office; in the meantime, the team is operating from a temporary location led by Ochoa and Regional Operations Manager Rosalie Huntley.

Sotheby's Realty picks up Malibu-based Pritchett-Rapf Realtors

The Malibu-based Pritchett-Rapf Realtors, founded in 1964, has been acquired by Sotheby's International Realty, the company announced. The firm will be broken up into two offices, with one in Malibu and the other in Topanga. Both offices will report to SVP and brokerage manager, Cristian David.

The move has increased Sotheby's position in the Los Angeles region, bringing its agent headcount up to 700 sales people across 12 offices. Last year, the company reported $4.8 billion in sales volume in the pricey southern California market. 

"Pritchett-Rapf Realtors has long been respected in Malibu as a premier real estate brokerage firm making it an ideal fit for our network. Their agents are deeply invested in the community where they have lived and worked for decades," said Philip White, president and CEO of Sotheby's International Realty. 

Two D.C. area brokerages merge 

The Alexandria, Virginia-based McEnearney Associates has announced that it has merged with Middleburg Real Estate/Atoka Properties, also located in Alexandria. The merger represents 16 offices across the Washington, D.C. area, including parts of Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia. 

"It was a natural fit," said McEnearney Associates President Maureen McEnearney Dunn. "They are a firm focused not on quantity, but quality; aiming not to be the biggest, but the best, and that's what we look for when partnering with others: common goals for growth and always doing the right thing for our agents and clients."

Atoka Properties was founded in 2008 at the start of the Great Recession by partners Peter Pejacsevich and Scott Buzzelli, who will stay aboard with the new company. "We are and will continue to be the industry's best," Pejacsevich said about the merger. "We provide hands down the most support for our agents and clients and can do so because we are not tied to a franchise fee or national ownership."

The Agency opens third office in booming Colorado

The Los Angeles based real estate brokerage The Agency has announced the opening of a franchise in Telluride, representing its third office in the popular Colorado market, in addition to locations in Denver and Aspen. The new office will be led by managing partners Stewart Seeligson and Kristen Muller. 

"Telluride is home to some of the country's most coveted real estate and the area's premier luxury market aligns perfectly with The Agency's brand and ethos," Jim Ramsay, executive VP of franchise sales at The Agency, said in the announcement. "Our continued growth in Colorado is a true testament to the growing demand and need for a luxury boutique brokerage with global reach like The Agency."

Seeligson's credentials include honors such as Realtor of the Year in Telluride in 2013. He is also a certified public accountant and holds a BBA in accounting and an MBA in finance. Muller brings a decade of experience in real estate sales and previously held a role as SVP of Marketing & Communications for a top Sotheby's franchise. She received both her MBA in marketing and a Bachelor's degree in economics from the University of Colorado.

Southwest Florida brokerage picks up 17 agents in May

John R. Wood Christie's International Real Estate announced that it added 17 new agents to the team roster during the month of May. The brokerage, which focuses on Southwest Florida, has been a presence in the area for 65 years and said it has done over $10 billion in transactions just in the past two years. 

Agents Heather Burns, Cindy Louise Reyf and Andrea Lynn Vetor have joined the team's Broad Avenue office in Collier County; Cathy Balice, Lizette Candela, Victoria (Tori) Kinley, Brandon May, Ceci Munoz, Amanda Smuk and Jason Zientarski joined the central office in Naples; and Louise Marzulli and Mary Flannery Streit are now reporting to the North Naples office. And then in nearby Lee County, agents Jennifer Buechel and Dina Weiss joined the company's Bonita Springs office, while the Ft. Myers/McGregor office has welcomed the addition of Linda Wilcox.

The new additions bolster the brokerage's headcount of roughly 750 agents and staff across 23 offices, the team said. "We are pleased to welcome these experienced professionals to our teams in Collier and Lee counties," John R. Wood Christie's International Real Estate President and CEO Phil Wood said in the announcement.